iOS open link with maps apps - html

Question

I'm working on an event app and I'm trying to add a "Get directions" button that opens up directions in either Apple Maps or Google Maps. I'm happy to use Apple maps for now because it's easy to embed with http://maps.apple.com/?q=XYZ().
My app is displaying an HTML website with a UIWebView, so this may be the problem, but when you press the link it actually opens within the UIWebView and displays Google Maps randomly but accurately. Is there a function I can put into my HTML code that forces the link to open in the native Apple or Google Maps?

Answer 1

COMPLETE ANSWER
CODE:
- (IBAction)getDirectionsAction:(id)sender {
NSURL *googleURL = [[NSURL alloc]
initWithString:[NSString stringWithFormat:#"comgooglemaps://?daddr=%#", #"44.294349,-70.326973"]];
NSURL *googleWebURL =
[[NSURL alloc] initWithString:[NSString stringWithFormat:#"http://www.maps.google.com/maps?daddr=%#",
#"44.294349,-70.326973"]];
NSURL *appleURL = [NSURL URLWithString:#"http://maps.apple.com/?daddr=311+East+Buckfield+Road+Buckfield+Maine"];
NSURL *wazeURL = [NSURL URLWithString:#"waze://?ll=44.294349,-70.326973&navigate=yes"];
// Lets try the Waze app first, cuz we like that one the most
if ([[UIApplication sharedApplication] canOpenURL:wazeURL]) {
[[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:wazeURL
options:#{}
completionHandler:^(BOOL success){
}];
return;
}
// Lets try the Apple Maps app second
if ([[UIApplication sharedApplication] canOpenURL:appleURL]) {
[[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:appleURL
options:#{}
completionHandler:^(BOOL success){
}];
return;
}
// If Apple Maps is unsuccessful, let's try the Google Maps app
if ([[UIApplication sharedApplication] canOpenURL:googleURL]) {
[[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:googleURL
options:#{}
completionHandler:^(BOOL success){
}];
return;
}
// Uh, oh...Well, then lets launch it from the web then.
else {
[[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:googleWebURL
options:#{}
completionHandler:^(BOOL success){
}];
}
}
PLIST PROPERTIES:
<key>NSAppTransportSecurity</key>
<dict>
<key>NSAllowsArbitraryLoads</key>
<true/>
<key>NSExceptionDomains</key>
<dict>
<key>http://maps.apple.com</key>
<dict>
<key>NSExceptionAllowsInsecureHTTPLoads</key>
<true/>
<key>NSExceptionRequiresForwardSecrecy</key>
<true/>
<key>NSIncludesSubdomains</key>
<true/>
</dict>
<key>http://maps.google.com/</key>
<dict>
<key>NSIncludesSubdomains</key>
<true/>
<key>NSExceptionAllowsInsecureHTTPLoads</key>
<true/>
<key>NSExceptionRequiresForwardSecrecy</key>
<true/>
</dict>
</dict>
</dict>
<key>LSApplicationQueriesSchemes</key>
<array>
<string>waze</string>
<string>comgooglemaps</string>
</array>
<key>NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription</key>
<string>For Use for directions</string>
BUTTON
1X
2X
3X

Answer 2

Instead of using the http protocol in your URL, try using the maps protocol instead, so that your link looks something like:
maps://maps.apple.com/?q=Test+Search
You can also open it in Google Maps, if the user has it installed, by using a URL such as:
comgooglemaps://?q=Test+Search
Though you might get unexpected results if the user doesn't have it installed.
If this doesn't work, it's possible to use the UIWebView delegate method webView:shouldStartLoadWithRequest:navigationType: to intercept links and open the Maps application properly.

Answer 3

Here you can find info on the Google Maps URL Scheme
UIApplication.sharedApplication().openURL(NSURL(string:
"comgooglemaps://?q=XYZ")!)
Will enforce Google Maps to be used.
You might want to do
UIApplication.sharedApplication().canOpenURL(NSURL(string:"comgooglemaps://")!)
first, to ensure that Google Maps is available. If not, simply call your regular
http://maps.apple.com/?q=XYZ()
to open apple maps.